Waiting
by CrimsonAzureRose
Summary: Prideshipping. Just as their relationship was blossoming, disaster struck...


Prideshipping. Character death but it sort of ends on a happy note. Kind of. It's another really pathetic attempt at fiction on my part, I'm warning you now.

Disclaimer: I don't and never will (unless I suddenly come into a boat load of cash) own Yu-Gi-Oh!

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

Seto arched a brow and leaned back into his seat, his gaze wandering around the café. "More of that Pharaoh/Priest bullshit? You should know better than to even ask."

Yami made a sound of disbelief. "I'm right in front of you and you still don't believe in it?"

Seto smirked.

"Why do I bother?" Yami said as he rolled his eyes.

Seto knew it wouldn't end like this. Whenever Yami received an answer he didn't like, he would argue and argue until Seto was forced to put out (not without a fight though). That was how he worked; that was how he _always _worked. And it seemed that the only person who could withstand the petty amount of annoyingness was, well…

"Seto."

"What?"

He met Yami - or rather, Yami entered his life by storm. He was a businessman. Yami was a 'spirit.' He was like stubbornness and antagonism in a petite little body - when he got his own, that is. The very day Yami received his own body, he visited Seto at his mansion. It was just Seto's luck that Mokuba was out. Now who was to save him from the _evil_ spirit?

Yami talked to him first. And he blinked. Yugi never came to his place, what the hell was he doing here now? Certainly not for Mokuba. Mokuba was already at the Game Shop.

"You're spacing out."

…Yami just wouldn't give up.

"I am not. People like me don't space out. We merely…relocate our thoughtstreams to a different area to pursue other ventures of thought."

Yami adamantly followed him until he caved in, letting the midget drag him to the café for coffee and a cookie. Yami made Seto talk about whatever came to mind and Seto was confused (and a little annoyed…well, more than a little). He knew that Yami wasn't interested in Kaiba Corp taking over another smaller gaming company. But then why was he following him like a lost little puppy?

The reason why he wanted to talk to him was because…

"Right. I apologise. Those two are _so_ easily confused."

…he thought Seto was cute.

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a shrug.

It had been like this for over two months. Maybe three if it included the on and off month of Yami attempting to contact Seto by phone (after he figured out how to use it – with Yugi's help, of course). Seto grew tired of it and gave Yami his cell number.

"Can you get me a sugar packet?" Yami asked.

He looked at him, perplexed, "Uh…sure."

He stood up and moved his chair back and headed to the condiment table. He _was_ acting a little strange today. Giving up on an argument before it started and asking for sugar…Yami never asked for sugar. He liked his coffee bitter. But maybe…

…Seto smirked. Yami had fallen in love with him already, he proposed.

He headed back to his seat and handed him the sugar packets. "Thank you," Yami said as he sat down -

"OUCH!"

The chair fell back…

Everybody in the café turned to stare at what was going on. Seto glared at them. He pulled his chair back up and found what seemed to be a miniscule little…tack.

He glared. "What the hell was that for?"

Yami giggled.

"I like you."

"Shut up."

"I said," he pressed on, "I like you."

Seto rolled his eyes and wrapped the tack in a paper napkin, in case anybody else was exposed to its dangerous point. "Well you have a funny way of showing it."

He paused.

"I'm going to die tomorrow."

An eyebrow shot up.

He smiled weakly. "Terminal cancer. I wanted to enjoy the last few months before -"

Seto stood up. "I can't do this," he said. "I can't do this right now."

And with that, he departed.

Yami stared at the door and sighed.

It began to rain.

"Everything's going to be alright Yami, everything's -"

"Hey. I'm dying. Everything isn't going to be alright," he said with a faint smile on his lips.

Yugi frowned.

Yami stared out the window. It was still raining.

"Do you want me to call the gang?"

"I don't want them to see me die today," he admitted honestly, "I think it's better off if they don't know about this."

A pause. "Alright."

"Yugi, go to sleep," he said.

"I can't do that."

"Yugi," Yami said, voice stern, "Think of this as a dying Pharaoh's last wish. _Get some sleep_."

Yugi chewed on his lower lip. "I want to be -"

"-here," finished Yami for him, "I know you want to be here. But I don't want you to be here. And this is my last wish. Alright?" a faint smile, "Besides, you've cried enough. I don't want you to cry anymore."

Yugi sighed. He kissed Yami's forehead and gave him a small wave, tears forming in his eyes. He left.

Yami leaned back into his bed. He didn't feel well.

The door burst open.

Seto. Yami arched an eyebrow.

He was soaking wet; water dripped everywhere.

"Not on the carpet -" he began to protest.

"I'm pissed," he said, "I'm pissed off as hell. You know why?"

Yami opened his mouth to answer.

"No. You don't get to talk," he said sternly, "You talk too much. I hate it. But you know what I hate more? You're dying. And you didn't tell me. So was this your master plan? You decided to befriend me and then ditch me? And not tell me about it either? Seriously? What were you thinking?"

Yami opened his mouth again.

"No. Don't answer that," said Seto, "You're not allowed to talk today. Because, well…you're dying. And I'm pissed, so that automatically gives me the privilege."

Yami closed his mouth and smiled a little.

"You're stubborn. You're cliché. You drink bitter coffee. It's gross. I hate it. You argue too much for your own good. You don't think about other people's opinions. You eat too much. How are you not overweight? Must be the cancer," he said.

A pause. Seto looked at him. He was still smiling.

"But you're always happy," he followed, "Always happy. Always bright. And I don't understand how someone's who's dying…can be so…" he blinked twice, "Happy. And I…I…"

A pause.

"I love you."

Yami was surprised.

"I love you. And I hate you. I love you, but I seriously hate you," he explained, sitting at Yami's bedside. "You stupid, stupid Pharaoh…"

Surprised, Yami touched his hand. Seto was cold. He was warm, even though he was dying; he was warm.

"So you do believe in reincarnation then?" Yami grinned.

"Don't give me that look," Seto rolled his eyes at Yami's smug features. "Of course I believe in reincarnation. You're right in front of me, aren't you?"

He smirked at Yami's exasperated look.

"You know," Yami started, "We could be together again. Reincarnation and all that. I think I deserve one lifetime where I don't die before I'm married."

"You deserve more than that."

Yami smiled at him. "We'll meet again, I know it. It's happened before. You want to know why?"

Seto nodded his head, unable to say anything. He, Seto Kaiba world's youngest (and greatest – if he did say so himself) businessman and ice machine extraordinaire was on the verge of – dare he say it? Tears. This wasn't like him. He didn't cry when Mokuba was kidnapped. He didn't cry when his soul was stolen. But evidently he cries when his arch rival is about to die. What sense did that make?

"We'll meet again because I love you. And nothing is going to stop me from coming back to you. I promise. It took me 5000 years but I came back, even if it was for a little while and I'll do it again," Yami smiled

He took Seto's hand and started to…laugh.

Seto looked at him as if he grew another head, "It's not funny."

"I'm sorry, I was just thinking of that song."

"Which song?" Seto asked.

Yami sang, "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough, to keep me from getting to you." *

Seto smiled. He thought he stopped doing that. Crying and smiling, all on the same day. He really was losing his touch.

"I'll be waiting for you, Yami."

*That's a song by some old person I don't know. It just popped into my head while I was typing this and I felt like putting it in.

I have an idea for a sequel for this, so tell me if reading one would be worth your time.


End file.
